P3P: Commitment
by Ashenine
Summary: Chap 2: He needs to protect her, but he must make sure she can keep going and to make her understand.   Shinji/Heroine
1. Chapter 1

"Commitment"

Chapter I

"Don't wear that kind of stuff."

His words brought her out of what she was doing.

Cosmetic samples littered her desk as she was about to apply eyelash glue to a pair of very flirty long fake eyelashes.

She turns to face him, almost curious and a little challenging as if to ask him how he dare question her daily routine.

Ever since she began her school year at Gekkoukan High she had been working very hard to improve herself, and looks were no exception.

He squirms under her gaze, even though he is clearly taller and needs to tilt his head to see her eye to eye. A very finely trimmed and brushed eyebrow curved, awaiting for an answer.

And just like that, Shinji sighs and his shoulders sag in defeat.

"I mean...you don't need that, other girls may believe they do but you.." He trails off, as if unable to continue. His cheeks were beginning to tint with a very uncharacteristic pink blush and he turns his head away from her to keep her from noticing her.

And notice she does, she knows how much it takes him to open up, but still feels the need to prod and make him go on.

"But I?"

There's a dangerous playful tone to her voice, he notes, as if she was waiting for the unavoidable answer to his end.

"Uh...well...you...you look...dammit, fine!" He snaps, not to her but, at himself. He hates when he stutters, and how much he hates when she's the only one able to make him falter like that.

He takes a deep breath to prepare himself for what he was about to say.

"You look much better without it!"

She blinks.

Shinji scowls.

And suddenly, he feels a pair of arms wrapping around his neck just as he was about to tug on his beanie and begin to unleash a lecture on her.

His cheeks color at the proximity between them. And he sees the fullfilment on her expression before she brings and end to the distance between their faces.

But just as he was going to protest (he really was, really) he catches something she says before closing their mouths with a kiss.

"Then, you should stop wearing that beanie."

Shinjirou never brought up the matter after that day.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Hey guys! Thanks so much for your words, your favs and suggestions. I will try to keep them in mind.

"Commitment"

Chapter 2

Shinjirou had begun to notice something different in the way she held herself when they were alone.

She wouldn't tease as much and her eyes always wandered towards somewhere far he couldn't see whenever silence reigned in their conversations.

It had been something so very small and insignificant that he hadn't thought much about the matter.

"Hnn..."

"What is it?"

The girl paused in mid-sentence, the dorm's lounge was their place for the evening and midnight was approaching fast in the midst of her re-count of her days.

The tall man in the coat didn't answer as he stared at his pocket watch, it didn't have a chain or a cap. It was old, worn and scratched. She could swear that thing was even dented on it's side and if it would have been dropped it wouldn't work anymore.

The lights in the room suddenly turned green, and the place was showered then by the eerie moonlight at the struck of the dark hour.

"Tch…let's go."

He was about to get up from the couch they have been sitting on for hours when he felt a very strong grip clutching his arm (he wouldn't say it out loud that it did hurt).

And suddenly, she's in tears, and he doesn't know what the hell happened to have made her cry. And just as he was about to ask what was the matter she throws herself at him with arms around his neck and his head is now cradled in her hands, and just for a moment he's wondering if he would get punched later for face diving into her chest.

But that's all in the back of his head, where he keeps everything locked and to never get out because he knows what he can do and won't.

So, he just freezes, unable to process what's going on for she's sobbing and clutching at him and maybe, just maybe, he thinks he shouldn't say anything at all for once.

"Don't…."

It's small, saddened and awfully pleading but he still can't see her for he is still in her hold and the wrong movement would lead him to head butting her under the chin.

Such a lovely mental image creates in his head that he can only sigh and try to bring his face away from her

chest carefully just to see her straight.

Her lower lip is quivering, at the verge of twisting but she's fighting to and she tries to laugh but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Don't leave me"

He can't help it.

His arms wrapped themselves around her, pulling her body on top of his on the couch. And his mind is on strike for he doesn't know what to say to calm the girl trying to squeeze all the living breathe out of him and he's scared he might get another cough attack.

"Hey, I'm not leaving…"

Yet, his mind offers grimly and he's frustrated and sad as well but this girl...

This girl.

He needs to protect her, but he must make sure she can keep going and to make her understand.

Yet…

And yet….

She feels warm and safe in his arms as he holds her tighter, and she fears that some day she might miss that warmth during the night.


End file.
